I am brewing a 1.080 Belgian Trpel tomorrow. I had WLP500 collected from a previous 10 gal. batch of Tripel that has been stored in vials in my fridge since Jan. 2014.
My plan as to use all 4 vials and step up a starter, but I am starting to have concerns that there will not be enough viable cells. I pulled the vials out of the fridage to warm up 3 days ago, then pitched them into 1.5L of a 1.038 starter, and put it on a stir plate for 24 hours. From there, I cold crashed it in the fridge, and puled it out this morning to warm up, and will pitch it into a 3L 1.038 starter this afternoon, onto the stir plate, and ready to pitch into the wort tomorrow evening.
I do not have the capability to count cells, so is there any reliable indicator of my viabiity. Will a nice drop in gravity of my 3L starter be enough of an indicator that the yeast is ready to go?
I would still have the option of running to my LHBS this afternoon to purchase 2 vials of WL500 and make a fresh starter tonight. My main concern is getting a healty pitch into this 10 gallon batch. I would be interested in people's thoghts on this old yeast.
My plan as to use all 4 vials and step up a starter, but I am starting to have concerns that there will not be enough viable cells. I pulled the vials out of the fridage to warm up 3 days ago, then pitched them into 1.5L of a 1.038 starter, and put it on a stir plate for 24 hours. From there, I cold crashed it in the fridge, and puled it out this morning to warm up, and will pitch it into a 3L 1.038 starter this afternoon, onto the stir plate, and ready to pitch into the wort tomorrow evening.
I do not have the capability to count cells, so is there any reliable indicator of my viabiity. Will a nice drop in gravity of my 3L starter be enough of an indicator that the yeast is ready to go?
I would still have the option of running to my LHBS this afternoon to purchase 2 vials of WL500 and make a fresh starter tonight. My main concern is getting a healty pitch into this 10 gallon batch. I would be interested in people's thoghts on this old yeast.